Jessica Verday: The Hidden

Before I could answer, Vincent went over to the DVD player and grabbed the remote. Returning to me, he propped both of his outstretched feet across my lap. With a grimace I shoved his feet off. “I’m not your footrest. Thanks.”

My own feet were starting to ache, and I massaged the skin that was pulled tight at the ankles by the zip tie. “Can you please cut these off me?”

“Let me think about it. … No.”

He pressed PLAY, and a ball of fire appeared on the screen. Two guys ran out of a building, each one holding a shotgun. “I saw this one already,” he said. “Dean’s going straight to hell for this. Or wait. It might be Sam this time. I can’t keep them straight.”

I didn’t want to beg him. But the pain was heading toward unbearable. “Vincent, please,” I said. “Cut these off of me?”

“What will you give me?” He cocked his head and slowly slid his eyes down my body. Every nerve ending shrank back, and my skin felt like it wanted to run away screaming. What exactly was I going to have to do to earn my freedom?

“I, uh … I …” I swallowed loudly.

“Well?”

My feet could fall off. I’d crawl to the door if I had too.

Vincent cocked an ear toward me, waiting.

“I have to use the bathroom,” I said instead.

“I’ll walk you.” He stood up and offered a hand. I ignored it at first.

“You have five seconds to make up your mind,” he told me. “Or else you won’t be going until tomorrow morning.”

Reluctantly I took it and hobbled to my feet. Trying to take a step was virtually impossible, and I wobbled wildly. “I can’t do it,” I said. “I need my feet.”

Vincent gave me a look of disdain.

“I can pee right here on the floor if you want,” I offered.

He pulled out his knife again and slit the tie. My feet sprang apart, and I uttered a sigh of relief. That relief was short lived, though, because he clamped an arm down on my wrist and grabbed hold.

Forcefully, he directed me over to the bathroom and shoved me into it. I turned on the water to make him think I was washing my hands, and sized up the small window over the tub.

Too small.

Vincent banged on the door. “Hurry up . I’m waiting .”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I yelled back.

Gripping the edges of the sink, I stared into the mirror and turned my head to look at my jaw. A faint yellow and pink stain was there, the beginning of a bruise starting to form. I touched it and hissed as pain went screaming through my head again. Time for plan B, Abbey. You need to get out of here.

The doorknob rattled. “Open up. Or I’m breaking it down. Then any peeing you want to do really will be in front of me.”

I turned the water off and opened the door. Vincent grabbed my arm again and walked me back to the couch. Turning myself completely away from him, I scooted down closer to the other end and curled up into a ball. How long would it take for someone to find me?

“Why did you do it?” I said softly, wondering how much I could get out of him.

“Do what?”

“Stalk me. Leave things in my locker. Visit my parents dressed like a priest. And then … just disappear. Why did you do it?”

He looked excited. “Did you like the fingernails? I thought they were a nice touch. And that perfume? Very expensive. The priest outfit was my personal favorite. Hard to move in, though. It restricted the blood flow.” He grinned at me as I shot him a You’re crazy look. “Oh, come on. I had to do something to keep myself occupied. I was killing time.”

“Killing time until what?”

“Until this, of course. You’re a little thick, aren’t you?”

I sat up. “What do you mean?”

“They didn’t tell you? I bet that was Sophiel’s idea. She’s such a bitch.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Has your lover boy been experiencing any strange symptoms lately? Maybe losing his ability to touch ?” He held up one finger. “Or he suddenly likes to take extra-long naps?”

I considered lying to him, saying no, those things had never happened. But other than Uri, he seemed to be the only Revenant willing to tell me anything. “Yes. Why?”

“And you.” He pointed at me. “You don’t react the same way to the Revs anymore, do you? No more burning smell or tasting ash?”

I shook my head. “What does all of that mean?” My voice came out in a whisper.

“It means that your little Revenant buddies have been lying to you. I’d wager from the very beginning.” He seemed absolutely delighted. “Do you even know what November third is?”

“No.”

“It’s the reason why you’re here. The reason why your boy toy’s been losing his ability to touch and getting trapped in the dark sleep so often. It’s why you don’t react the same way to the Revenants. Because it’s getting closer. It’s almost time.”

I waited for him to tell me. It was obvious that was what he wanted to do.

“D-day,” Vincent said.

“That’s not true,” I replied. “There is no exact date. The Revenants haven’t figured out when or how I’ll die.”

“Not yours. … His.” Vincent smirked.

“But how can that be? Caspian already died. I’ve been to his grave.”

“Did you really think that Casper the Friendly Ghost was going to stick around forever? Stay with you, in this world, so you could bump uglies once a year?” He gave me a look of annoyance.

I tried as hard as I could not to let my cheeks flush, but I don’t think I was successful. “How can Caspian die again ?” I asked, desperate not to let the conversation get sidetracked.

“The short answer is, you.”

“I’m going to kill him?”

Vincent roared with laughter, and then his face went completely still. “No, you’ll be right here with me. But without you Caspian can’t stay. As of midnight November third, he no longer exists.”

“How can I stop that from happening? How do I complete him?”

“You die.”

“And are you”-I gulped-“going to be the one to kill me?”

“No, no, no.” Vincent patted me on the head. “Remember? We already had this conversation. In your bedroom? I want to keep you alive .”

“But why? I don’t understand. Why would you want to keep me alive?”

“Because once you’re dead, you can complete him.”

This was like a vicious circle without answers. “Why do you care whether or not I complete him?” I said. “If you’re a Revenant, then you’ve helped other Shades before. Why not us?”

He crossed one leg over his knee. “It all goes back to the original Revenants. Rumor has it that God and the devil made a deal and chose six representatives of heaven and six representatives of hell to help them sort out the whole reaping/death business. The representatives were split into teams of two, one angel half, one demon half. Or one light, one dark. One yin, one yang … yadda, yadda, yadda. You get the idea. Over time they were designated to help one group of souls in particular cross over-Shades and their other halves. With me so far?”

“Yes.”

“Good!” He clapped his hands together. “Eventually the six teams had been around for so long-thousands of years, after all-that they were ready to move on. Shades, the only humans allowed to stay on Earth after their deaths, were chosen to take their place. And these Shades were given a name.” He looked at me like he was giving me a hint. “Who do you know that works in teams of two? One good, one bad … Well, generally speaking.”